Effects of global and climate change on the freshwater-seawater interface movement in a Mediterranean karst aquifer of Mallorca Island.

Autor: Puigserver D; Department of Mineralogy, Petrology and Applied Geology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), Water Research Institute (IdRA-UB), Serra Húnter Tenure-elegible Lecturer, C/ Martí i Franquès, s/n, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain., Giménez J; General Directorate of Water Resources of the Balearic Islands, C/ Gremi Corredors, 10, E-07009 Palma, Mallorca, Spain; Earth Sciences Research Group, Department of Biology, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Cra. Valldemossa, km 7.5, E-07122 Palma, Mallorca, Spain., Gràcia F; Earth Sciences Research Group, Department of Biology, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Cra. Valldemossa, km 7.5, E-07122 Palma, Mallorca, Spain; Societat Espeleològica Balear, C/. Margarida Xirgu, 16, E-07011 Palma, Mallorca, Spain., Granell À; Earth Sciences Research Group, Department of Biology, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Cra. Valldemossa, km 7.5, E-07122 Palma, Mallorca, Spain; Societat Espeleològica Balear, C/. Margarida Xirgu, 16, E-07011 Palma, Mallorca, Spain., Carmona JM; Department of Mineralogy, Petrology and Applied Geology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), Water Research Institute (IdRA-UB), C/ Martí i Franquès, s/n, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: jmcarmona@ub.edu., Torrandell A; Department of Mineralogy, Petrology and Applied Geology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), Water Research Institute (IdRA-UB), C/ Martí i Franquès, s/n, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain., Fornós JJ; Earth Sciences Research Group, Department of Biology, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Cra. Valldemossa, km 7.5, E-07122 Palma, Mallorca, Spain; Societat Espeleològica Balear, C/. Margarida Xirgu, 16, E-07011 Palma, Mallorca, Spain.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: The Science of the total environment [Sci Total Environ] 2024 Feb 20; Vol. 912, pp. 169246. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Dec 09.
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169246
Abstrakt: Karst aquifers are globally prized freshwater sources, posing a significant preservation challenge. These aquifers typically exhibit dual or even triple porosities, encompassing matrix, fractures-fissures and conduits, rendering them highly responsive to variations in chemical characteristics and hydraulic head. In coastal regions, these aquifers often possess extensive subsurface conduit networks intricately linked to the rock matrix, facilitating groundwater discharge into the sea. Therefore, they display acute sensitivity to seawater intrusion, swiftly reacting to changes in precipitation and pumping regimes. This makes them exceptionally vulnerable to short-term meteorological fluctuations and long-term climate change. Their high heterogeneity leads to uneven penetration of the freshwater-seawater interface, causing rapid seawater intrusion inland over significant distances. The Mediterranean region, characterized by water deficit and water stress, faces strong impacts from climate change, featuring a warming atmospheric trend exceeding the global average, along with diminished rainfall exacerbating water scarcity. Increasing water demands for agriculture, urban development, and the growing tourism industry, because of global change, are worsening water stress. Our primary research objectives were analyzing the environmental consequences of global and climate change on seawater intrusion in Mediterranean coastal karst aquifers, with a focus on the role of the double-flow model, thus contributing to the understanding of the processes involved. To achieve this, we selected a study region on Mallorca Island in the western Mediterranean, where a karst aquifer system discharges into the sea. We employed various study methods, notably hydrochemical techniques and multi-isotopic analysis, encompassing the examination of 2 H and 18 O isotopes in water, 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio, Sr and B concentrations, and δ 11 B in water. A key finding is the rebound effect, wherein aquifers recontaminate due to solute molecular back-diffusion following cessation of extractions and the retreat of marine intrusion, providing insight into the impact of climate and global change on Mediterranean karst aquifers.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors of this research paper (Diana Puigserver, Jordi Giménez, Francesc Gràcia, Àlvaro Granell, José M. Carmona, Aina Torrandell and Joan J. Fornós) declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
(Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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